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Testators and legatees in London
(1258-1358)The mediaeval Court of Husting of the city of London sat (usually on a Monday) each week: among its functions was the enrolment of deeds and wills relating to citizens of London. In their strictest technical sense the terms 'will' and 'devise' are appropriate to real estate, and the terms 'testament', 'bequest' and 'legacy' to personal estate, but this distinction is lost sight of in ordinary usage. This calendar of wills proved and enrolled in the Court of Husting was edited by Reginald R. Sharpe, records clerk in the office of the Town Clerk of the City of London, and printed by order of the corporation in 1889. The date of the court is given in italics, with the year in bold in the margin. The testator's name is given in capitals (surname first, in bold), and then a brief listing of substantial bequests, with the names of legatees, and then the date of making of the will, and reference. Sometimes there were further proceedings in the court relating to the will, such as 'It was found by a jury that the testator was of full age when he made the above testament', a statement as to where the testament had been proved, or proceedings on a challenge to the testament &c. - such additional material is added in a smaller typeface in this edition.

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Landowners and tenants in Derbyshire
(1345-1485)Inquisitions ad quod damnum were held by the appropriate sheriff or escheator (or other officer in whose bailiwick the matter in question might lie) to investigate cases in which the royal or public interest might be damaged by proposed alienation or settlement of land (especially alienation to religious uses, into mortmain). The key findings from these inquisitions were as to the tenure of the land and the service due from it; its yearly value; the lands remaining to the grantor, and whether they sufficed to discharge all duties and customs due from him; and whether he can still be put upon juries, assizes and recognitions, so that the country be not burdened by his withdrawal from them. Generally speaking, this process had the makings of a system of licensing such alienations, and raising money in proportion to the valuations. Equally, there are many items that deal with subjects such as the closing of public roads, the felling or inclosing of woods, or the proposed grant of liberties or immunities. A calendar of these inquisitions from the 19th year of the reign of king Edward III to the 2nd year of Richard III was prepared by the Public Record Office and published in 1906. We have now indexed this calendar by surname and county. Most of the individuals appearing in the calendar are either pious individuals seeking to make grants to religious bodies for the sake of their souls; or landowners securing the disposition and settling of their real estate. But some other names do appear - tenants, trustees, chaplains and clerks.